Thursday, September 15, 2011

How to Eat 1,000 lbs of Tomatoes

Okay, maybe not 1,000lbs... but still... even after all that canning, we've still got a LOT of tomatoes to eat. Maybe next year I won't plant quite so many tomato plants? So, in case you are experiencing a similar dilemma, I'll show you what I've been cookin' up.

Of course there's always pasta. We don't eat pasta all that often any more, so it is a super fun treat when we do have it. To make some pasta sauce I just chop up a whole mess of tomatoes, saute some garlic in olive oil, toss in the tomatoes, cook for a while, add in a little salt & pepper, and then a big handful of fresh basil. Maybe some dried oregano if I am feeling crazy. Quick and easy and super yumz. Also, to atone for my starchy sins, I made a big batch of roasted brussel sprouts (ala Vegan With a Vengeance), and roasted sunchokes.*

(* if you have not have roasted sunchokes, this is a serious issue which must be addressed)

Next up was a big batch of Pico de Gallo salsa. I made a big pot of beans... and for a few days there I would just have a big bowl of beans with about a 1/2 cup of salsa mixed in. Mmmm. I must do this again. I love salsa, but I love love love love pico de gallo.

Pizza night! Of course! Mr. Vegan Eats & Treats requested that I chop up the tomatoes into smaller pieces (as shown), so that it would be easier to eat. That's true, it was easier to eat... but it was also not as pretty as leaving the whole huge slices of heirloom tomatoes on the pizza. Honestly, I'm not sure which one is more important to me. Next time I will have to make his and hers pizzas. He can have his ugly pizza and eat it too!

Also, Roasted Tomato Soup with Corn and with a Kick (from Vegan Soul Kitchen). I hadn't made this soup in quite a while, so I almost forgot what a great recipe it is. Technically the recipe also calls for fried okra strips, but I didn't have time or energy for that - and really, the soup is still a great experience without them. This is a perfect later summer/early fall soup... somehow light but also full-flavored all at once.

Enjoy the tomato time!

hey, p.s. I finally made Vegan Eats & Treats its very own Facebook Page... I share post updates and various other vegan musings there. Check it out!

Do you know about conserva? I am considering making some, but I don't have nearly the amount of tomatoes you do. It's basically a homemade tomato paste, slow roasted in the oven, that is supposed to be amazeballs.